The Power Struggle of Kinship: Juno and Jupiter in Virgil’s Aeneid

Advance booking is required for this hybrid seminar.

This presentation examines Juno’s role as the sister of Jupiter in Virgil’s Aeneid, foregrounding the often-overlooked significance of sibling relationships in Antiquity. As part of my broader investigation into representations of sibling relations in Julio-Claudian literature, I argue that Juno and Jupiter form a particularly intricate pair, defined not only by their spousal relationship but also by their shared divine lineage as siblings. Although typically studied through the lens of marriage, I argue that their kinship plays a central role in shaping their interactions and the narrative of the epic. This paper situates their bond within the framework of Roman familial structures, where a woman’s status was often derived from her natal family rather than her marriage. In this context, Juno’s defiance against Jupiter reflects not just wifely rebellion but a claim to authority rooted in their shared divine heritage. This sibling rivalry unfolds through both their words and actions, with each deity striving for dominance. However, as I demonstrate, Jupiter’s ultimate success in maintaining the course of fate relies on his accommodation of Juno’s demands, making their relationship one of complex negotiation rather than outright victory. This paper is divided into three sections: first, a discussion of Juno’s self-assertion as a major protagonist whose actions and words demand recognition from her brother; second, an analysis of Jupiter’s responses, which fluctuate between overt dominance and subtle concessions; and finally, an examination of how both gods maintain appearances of equality and respect. By focusing on this sibling dynamic, I propose that Virgil presents a nuanced portrayal of power, kinship, and gender relations, with implications for understanding the political and familial ideologies at play in Augustan Rome.

Speaker Details:

Carmen Van der Aa is a PhD student at University College London, working on the representation of brother-sister relations in Latin epic and tragedy of the Julio-Claudian and Flavian eras. Her source material includes Virgil, Ovid, Seneca and Statius. Prior to her time at UCL, Carmen completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at Université Libre de Bruxelles, in Belgium. Her master’s thesis was focused on the presence of brother and sister pairs in funerary inscriptions of the early Roman Empire. Carmen is enrolled part-time and when she is not in the library, she works as an IT Project Manager in the City of London.